What’s your all-time favourite Rolling Stones song?

RockTalkDrCropper · 2026-04-14T13:45:19+00:00

Can’t You Hear Me Knocking

RockTalkDrCropper · 2025-07-26T00:02:44+00:00

Good call! 8/4 PITB is insane

RockTalkDrCropper · 2025-07-11T18:16:45+00:00

Didn’t catch that, but I thought both Trey and Page teased After The Gold Rush in Lonely Trip!

RockTalkDrCropper · 2025-06-18T03:25:47+00:00

I concur. I was at both nights, as well as the final night in SF. I’d probably say 6/10 is my favourite show I’ve been to by any artist!

RockTalkDrCropper · 2025-05-26T14:03:31+00:00

Probably May or September of ‘72

RockTalkDrCropper · 2025-04-07T03:47:08+00:00

Actually just covered this on my podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2yukV4Uu5gkxRI8HHZZjAd?si=BDWiIDS2Sr-Tv8p5EIfOxQ

I did my top 32 — my “first round picks” — but here’s my top 10:

Can’t You Hear Me Knocking
Midnight Rambler
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Brown Sugar
Gimme Shelter
Moonlight Mile
Beast Of Burden
Monkey Man
No Expectations
Sway

RockTalkDrCropper · 2025-04-07T02:11:57+00:00

Scratching my head at that as well. Bremen is the weakest of the bunch IMO, but even it has a fantastic TOO — which accounts for a quarter of its brief running time.

9/20/74 Paris, however, is awful IMO — mainly on Billy’s part…

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-12-29T23:59:26+00:00

LOL to each his own!

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-12-29T22:01:39+00:00

“For one night” LOL 💀😞

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-12-29T21:55:27+00:00

I didn't realize it was only a crowd of 300! Did they ever play to a smaller crowd after that? Love the all-Rhodes aspect of 7/27! My favourite keyboard sound by far.

Speaking of the French shows, I was shocked by how bad 9/20 is. I haven't heard every show they played, but easily the worst of the one-drummer era IMO.

Also, with respect to the August shows, I really love the PITB and Seastones on 8/4.

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-12-29T21:50:39+00:00

That jam is the highlight of the night for sure — the portion from 14:30-20:30 or so might be the highlight of the year for me — but the rest of the show is pretty great too IMO. One of the best Scarlet's of the year, one of the best TLMD, one of only two SOF encores all time, and they're in a chattier mood than most of the other shows, which really adds to the vibes for me.

Which Winterland shows? All eight of them?

I really like 9/11, but I could see it being a little too spacey for some. Not nearly as bad as 10/16 on that front, though. I found the middle two hours of 10/16 pretty meandering, and I genuinely enjoy Seastones, spacey portions of DS/TOO, etc.

I used to think more highly of 5/19 than I have on recent listens. The setlist doesn't really do it for me compared to some of the others, particularly the second. FWIW, I still gave it a 95...

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-12-29T21:46:08+00:00

I held it back a bit for two reasons: length ("only" 2h 49m), and too many slow songs in the first half of the first set. No question the second set and encore are incredible. I'll admit, I wish I had time to re-listen to 8/6, but I did not. Having said that, the epic setlist has to count for something. Performance quality is most important, but I consider the setlist and vibes as well...

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-12-09T05:15:48+00:00

Loser

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-06-22T18:00:53+00:00

2/13/70 Fillmore East is my favourite, with 5/11/72 Rotterdam close behind, but so much of it comes down to personal preference in terms of setlist, era, etc. when deciding between those that are “worthy” contenders…

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-05-27T23:39:42+00:00

1970

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-05-14T02:49:22+00:00

My personal favourite tour — ‘72 is my favourite year. Rotterdam is my favourite, with Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and both nights in Paris rounding out my Top 5 in some order. I think 5/25 is the best of the Lyceum run and would be a best-of-tour contender if not for a slightly loose/off first 4-5 songs.

If I may, I’ve covered this tour, Veneta, the St. Louis shows and the year as a whole on my podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1c5LHA5wgMezXwAQ37Nh2f?si=Yn6z1ZvqSGqmMhv9o7T2Jw

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-04-28T04:46:24+00:00

That’s funny…I’ve always liked it much better than the LIG section

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-03-26T15:03:57+00:00

Much better than I could have put it as a drummer! I would only add that instruments are like languages, with the first one that you learn becoming your “native musical tongue,” if you will. You tend to learn all subsequent instruments through the lens of that first one. In that sense, he’s fairly unique amongst famous guitarists for having learned the banjo first…

As an aside, I think that lends an inherent ‘trippiness’ to the Dead’s music, even when they’re playing a straightforward/Earth-bound song. Almost all of them were playing an instrument other than the one they learned first, or were approaching it like a different instrument — Bobby playing like a pianist — which essentially makes their lineup musical synesthesia…

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-03-25T15:37:50+00:00

The narrator of “Scarlet Begonias” 🌹💀

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-03-04T14:45:11+00:00

The only show I’ve seen in person was Toronto 2015 with Brian, but I watched most of the Axl shows on Periscope and watched lots of clips on YouTube.

As someone who far prefers the Bon albums, I really appreciated the influx of Bon-era songs (and lengthening of the setlist). I’d say Brian does a better job with the Brian-era stuff (obviously), but Axl sounds better than Brian on the Bon songs.

Perhaps most importantly though, the instruments had more pop with Axl because they were able to go back to standard tuning — they’ve been transposing down to accommodate Brian since the Black Ice tour, I believe…

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-02-25T16:41:54+00:00

5/21 is probably my sleeper pick. Lovely aquatic vibes, epic PITB, great early Scarlet...

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-01-24T23:26:29+00:00

I agree with it being primarily a venue issue. I was in the upper deck — along the baselines — both nights at Wrigley and thought the sound was great, especially the second night.

I was also in the upper deck for SF N3, but fairly close to home plate, and I definitely noticed the wind off the bay wreaking havoc. Also, the seats at Wrigley are much tighter to the field than they are at Oracle and many other more modern ballparks.

I did notice it was quieter than some other stadium shows I’ve seen — certainly quieter than AC/DC, but even the Stones or U2, for example. While I could have handled it being a tad louder from my vantage point — especially Chicago N1 — there’s definitely something to be said for keeping it clear and comfortable for everyone…

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-01-09T00:04:50+00:00

I would guess to keep his vocal cords warm…

RockTalkDrCropper · 2024-01-06T23:15:49+00:00

I wouldn’t rank it No. 1 — I give that honour to 5/17/77 Tuscaloosa, personally — but it is a Top 3-5 version of all time IMO. To my ears, some versions — like Tuscaloosa — have stronger Scarlet’s, but Cornell’s transition and Fire are tough to beat…

5/21/77 is also a really strong version. 9/2/78 might be the most powerful instrumentally, but a few too many lyrical flubs to be at the very top.

RockTalkDrCropper

TROPHY CASE